A Redundant World
by Ryu-Takehshi
Summary: Ichiru wanted to know more. Why did he have to move into this old shop? Where did that girl: Ryumaru come from? What did Menos Grande mean? What's so strange about seeing one? Who, exactly, were his parents and why did he need to train before meeting them
1. Chapter 1 and 2

A Redundant World

By: Ryu-Takehshi

_The orange haired boy and his two younger sisters slumped down the stairs of the orphanage dragging their luggage behind them. They were finally leaving the place that the three of them loathed to the very core. They hated every shattered window, every creaking door, and every drop of murky tainted water…_

Chapter 1: Memories

There were three very vivid memories that the boy thought were going to stay in his mind forever.

One was the first day he and his sisters arrived at the orphanage. What were a four-year old boy and his two 3-month old sisters to do when they are dropped off at a strange place in the middle of the night? The boy had almost no memory of his parents so on the second day at the orphanage, when he received a letter that was addressed to him, you can only imagine the joy that he had.

When he was alone in the solitude of his new room he carefully opened the letter. A small photo drifted out of the envelope and landed on the ground. The boy paid no attention to it as he laid it on his bed. The letter said:

To: Ichiru- pronounced I (as in it) chi (pronounced: she) Ru (as in Rukia)

I am truly sorry to have dropped you off there, but if you stayed here with us, your life and the twins' would be in danger (without the proper training of course.) You will have to be strong and take care of the twins. When they are old enough you may name them whatever you wish! Also when you are of the age of 16, your father and I grant you permission to move into your new home: the shop in the picture. Speaking of which, your birthday is August 31 and the twins' May 22. I'm afraid that is all I can speak of for now…

Always remember to be strong! Best of Luck! Cambateyo! (Good luck in Japanese)

Sincerely,

Your loving mother…

Ichiru treasured that letter for his entire life, but never spoke of it to his sisters. He only mentioned that when he turns sixteen they would be able to leave the orphanage, which was enough for them to know. He named the twins Sayuki and Sakura.

Yesterday marked Ichiru's sixteenth birthday and he was extremely excited to move into the shop, although, he would never show it.

The second thing he remembered happened to him just yesterday. Ichiru was walking back to the orphanage with some groceries. It was his sixteenth birthday and no one cared. His sisters' minds were more pre-occupied with leaving the orphanage to even think about their older brother's birthday.

"Like I care…" he thought to himself.

Suddenly he heard a crash, a loud explosion that came from right in front of him. A huge creature that looked like a giant shadow with a milk-white skull mask stood there facing him. Even though Ichiru had never heard of these words in his entire life he quietly whispered, "A hollow…A Menos Grande!"

He saw a figure of a person in the sky. It was hacking away at the monster's mask with a thin black sword.

The figure yelled, "Kuroshiite, Na Rag Ab Hoshii!" It was a girl…

She landed as the monster seemed to disintegrate, blowing away to nothingness like dust in the wind. She sheathed her sword as she said, "Thanks, Na Rag Ab Hoshii! Good Job!"

The girl looked to be the same age as Ichiru. She had shoulder-length black hair with a single red streak coming down the right side. She was wearing a black kimono that was tied at the waist by a thick white sash. She also wore a fingerless glove on her right hand, but Ichiru paid no attention to that. The mysterious girl turned around to look over at Ichiru, who got lost in her deep red eyes.

But, he managed to say, "W-who are you?"

The girl walked right up to Ichiru so that they were almost nose-to-nose. She stared directly into his bright violet eyes as Ichiru took a step back. He blushed, when suddenly the girl jabbed him in the gut.

"Ow! What the hell did you do that for?" Ichiru complained.

"Did you feel that?" the girl asked in all seriousness.

"No Duh!" he yelled, "can't you see I'm in pain here?"

The girl seemed like she wasn't listening as she asked, "And you can see me and the hollow?"

"Uhh… yeah!" Ichiru said to the girl who was asking the most idiotic questions in the entire world.

"Just who are you anyway!" She exclaimed.

"Didn't I ask you first?" Ichiru yelled back.

There's was a long silence…

"Ryumaru…" the girl said suddenly.

"What?"

"My name, it's Ryumaru. And you are?"

"I-Ichiru…"

The girl smiled. A smile Ichiru would never forget in his entire lifetime.

"Well, I'll see you around Ichiru!" she said happily.

Ryumaru jumped up into the sky and with that she was gone.

The third memory was the only one if his parents. A song called 'Be Strong' that his mother used to sing to him. He remembered the tune and every single word:

_Nanika shirakoji tsukatewa_

_Yaan koto sakete kiteteta_

_Naiyou nante naiyone_

_Dono michi no tatsujiinmo_

_Ichi nichi jinarai tattenai_

_Sono risozou munenidaki_

_Muda guchi kikazu_

_Wakinemo hurazu_

_Demona kidoshisoude_

_Nagidashita kunatte_

_Yowa jiibun nimoke sonna raba_

_Sonna jiibun torikagoniire_

_Tanie tsukiatose_

_So shite kito dariori_

_Shinjite kureiteru_

_Yatsura no tame shiino uno tame_

_Tsuyokunareru_

_Tsurane kyaiisa _

It was Ichiru's favourite song, because whenever he sang it to himself he always felt stronger. Like his parents were right there beside him telling him, 'keep going! On day you'll get there!' And Ichiru knew his parents would never lie to him.

Chapter 2: Funny Meeting You Here!

The three kids sat themselves down in the seat of the taxi. Ichiru made the two girls wait there until he and the taxi driver loaded everything. Ichiru was always protective of his sisters and after a while the girls just had to accept it.

Ichiru showed the driver the picture of the shop and with that they were off. Neither of them dared to look back at they orphanage they all dreaded so much and chose only to look forward.

After about an hour of driving, Sayuki called out, "There! There it is!"

The driver pulled over and helped Ichiru unload everything. The driver, then, took his leave as the kids stood in front of a beaten down shop. A man and woman awaited them at the door.

The man was wearing a green kimono top and green track pants. Over it was a long black jacket that had pictures of white diamonds in the bottom. He also had a mess of blonde hair tucked under a green and white vertically striped hat. He held a wooden cane that had a small slit near the curve of the handle and the word 'Behime' carved into it.

The woman, who was dark-skinned, had long black hair in a large ponytail. She wore an orange top and black Capri's

"Welcome!" she exclaimed. The couple led the kids into their home as a younger man and woman appeared. They looked to be about several years older than Ichiru. The boy had spiky red hair where as the girl had black hair in big pigtails on either side of her head.

"Jinta, Ururu, would you please show our new housemates their rooms?" the man asked as he gestured the kids to follow one or the other. Ichiru followed Jinta as the girls walked off in the opposite direction.

"Here's your room!" Jinta said as he pointed to Ichiru's quarters. Ichiru threw his bags in as Jinta added, "You're not a freeloader are you?"

"What?" Ichiru asked.

"Oh never mind!" Jinta replied, "C'mon we should probably star heading back now."

"Here are your rooms..."Ururu said quietly.

"Thank you!" Sayuki smiled.

"Yeah thanks!" Sakura added.

They gently placed their bags on the floor then turned to walk back to the dining room without saying a word.

They all met at the dining table so they could talk. The man had asked Jinta and Ururu to tend to the shop while he and the woman conversed with their new houseguests.

Ichiru was the first to speak the question that was also in his sisters' minds, "Are you our... parents?"

"No, No you've got it all wrong!" the man smiled, "We're just friends with them.

"Right!" the woman added, "I'm Yaruichi and this is Uruhara Kiskue!"

"O-okay..." Sayuki said to herself.

"Now," Yaruichi started, "I'm absolutely sure you all have questions, so just ask over the weeks you'll be living here and we'll see if we can answer them."

"Wait, weeks?" Ichiru exclaimed, "Aren't we staying here till we're old enough to move out?"

"Well, let me explain, "Uruhara started, "your parents asked me and Yaruichi to train you three along with our daughter so you'll be able to… visit them."

Ichiru heard the word 'train' and thought back to what the letter said.

Sakura gave Mr. Kiskue a quizzical look, "Why would we need training to visit them?" she asked.

The couple's faces became very serious.

"Have any of you ever heard of a hollow?" Yaruichi asked.

Ichiru looked shocked and everyone noticed.

Suddenly, there was a thump on the wall as if someone threw something at it.

A voice yelled, "DAD! I found Kon in my closet again!" It was a voice Ichiru knew too well.

The door slammed open as Ryumaru came into the room. She was holding a loin plushie and a tiny green ball. Her facial expression was like someone just sprayed her with a water gun and she was just about to destroy that person.

"Dad, I'm going to put Kon in the box with Ririn and Claude. Okay?" she asked.

"This is our-"Uruhara started.

"Ichiru!" Ryumaru exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"

"Ryumaru," Yaruichi asked her daughter, "How do you know Ichiru?"

"Oh yeah," Ryumaru smiled, "I forgot to tell you, we met the other day when I went to go fight the hollow…"

Uruhara sent Ichiru a sharp look, "So you have seen a hollow…" he turned to face his daughter, "And you just happen to forget to tell us!"

"He he, my bad?" Ryumaru smiled.

"Anyway," Yaruichi started, "It's time to start your training all of you!"

Ryumaru and Ichiru nodded silently.

Sayuki and Sakura gave a confused look at each other but nodded anyway.


	2. Chapter 3 and 4

Chapter 3: Stories

Ichiru's eyes slowly opened as they adjusted to the light of the new day. He had been living there for a week now, and was already used to seeing everything that was always staring him right in the face.

Over the past week Uruhara and Yaruichi taught Ichiru and his sisters everything they had already taught Ryumaru. They taught them the shinigami terms for example: Hollows, Menos Grande, and Vaizards, Zam pak to, Arancars, Soul Society and Bounts. They also taught them the events that made all the difference in the Soul Society. But, they made sure to only tell each story with initials and not any 'certain' *Air quote* names. To the three kids it was like something out of a fairy tale book.

Sayuki's favourite was when O.I.'s brother ended up being the hollow that was tormenting her.

Sakura's favourite was when the same girl was forced to join the Arancars because she was a supernaturalist, then was forced to fight against her friends.

Ichiru's favourite was the main story that Yaruichi and Uruhara told. Ichiru remembered each and every word as they spoke it. (The story might be different from the original, because Uruhara changed it.)

"_R.K. was a girl who was stationed at K. city. One night while she was out patrolling she saw a hollow coming near a boy that was her age. She had just finished fighting a hollow and was somewhat injured. She knew it was her duty to protect the citizens and that this hollow would be tough to fight in her condition. The hollow was just about to hit the boy when R.K. pushed him out of the way. That was about as much as she could do._

'_W-who are you? Are you alright?' the boy asked._

_The girl replied to him with another question, 'You can see me?'_

'_Of course,' The boy exclaimed, 'why wouldn't I be able to?'_

_R.K. was having trouble speaking, 'T-the hollow too?'_

_The boy turned his head to see the giant hollow coming at them 'C'mon we have to get out of the way.' "_

When Uruhara told that part of the story, Ichiru thought, "That was almost exactly what happened to me with Ryumaru."

Uruhara continued, _"R.K. could barely move, but she was strong and brave so she yelled to the boy, 'Get out of here! Run' She clenched her Zam pak to and tried to stand up, but, very soon after, collapsed-unconscious, into the boys arms._

_The boy felt the need to protect her. As her body came into contact with his hands he felt a surge pass through his body. He stood there in full shinigami clothes with a Zam pak to in his hand._

'_What is all this?' the boy wondered, 'A sword… I wonder if I can use this to…'_

_He gently laid R.K. on the ground then, jumped up and slammed the sword onto the hollow's arm. The hollow laughed at him._

_R.K. awoke slightly to see the boy fighting the hollow._

'_He's a shinigami…' she asked herself. She then noticed what he was doing wrong._

_She shouted at the loudest voice she could, (which wasn't very loud) 'The mask! Hit the mask!'_

_The boy slammed his Zam pak to onto the hollows mask as it disappeared. He ran over to help the girl up._

_R.K. glared at him as she said, 'It would've been helpful to mention that you were a shinigami, boy!' _

'_I have a name you know!' the boy sniped back._

'_Oh, and what's that?'_

_The boy smiled, 'I.K.!' "_

In that instant, I.K. became Ichiru's hero…

Chapter 4: Training Begins

It was the beginning of the second week…

"Alright, listen Up" Uruhara exclaimed, "We'll be training downstairs in the basement Got it?"

"Yes Sir!" The kids smiled as they climbed one by one down the ladder. Uruhara's basement wasn't at all like the kids (excluding Ryumaru seeing as she's been there time and time again) expected. It was a large vast area, with a giant hole in the middle.

"Welcome to you training ground!" Uruhara said happily.

"Wow!" the twins exclaimed as they scrambled down the ladder to run around.

Ichiru jumped from the top of the ladder and landed perfectly on the ground. Ryumaru jumped as well but she slipped. Ichiru quickly came to her rescue as she landed in his arms. Ichiru blushed. Yaruichi saw this and sent a quick smile to Uruhara.

"Show off!" Ryumaru laughed as Ichiru let go.

"You were the one who tried to jump but slipped amateur!" He replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

Uruhara turned to face the twins, "Finding your Zam pak to's will be easier then your brother, so will start with you two!"

"Okay!" the girls said in unison.

Yaruichi pressed a button as millions of different kinds of swords appeared.

"Think of this as a game," Uruhara explained, "If you touch a sword and it shatters then it's not your Zam pak to, although, if you touch one and it doesn't shatter, but, also doesn't glow then it's your twins' Zam pak to. And following that, if it does glow then obviously it's yours. That means that you have the right to ask it its name. The first person to find their Zam pak to ad its name, then runs over to Yaruichi first wins!"

"On your marks…Get set… GO!" Yaruichi shouted.

The twins zoomed through the different kinds of swords. After a few minutes of reaching, grabbing, and shattering Sayuki called out, "Here Sakura this one's yours!" She whipped the sword at her twin, who caught it directly at the hilt as if it were nothing more than a tree branch. The sword began to glow in her hand. She closed her eyes, "Your name is… Kanashimaru!"

Just as she did this her sister held up an almost identical sword and exclaimed, "Ureshimaru!"

The two ran towards Yaruichi as they tagged her.

"I win!" They said in unison.

Just then, a shock passed through the girls' bodies as their souls popped out of their, now lifeless bodies.

"Congratulations!" Uruhara exclaimed, "Consider yourselves shinigami!"


	3. Chapter 5 and 6

Chapter 5: A Conversation Connection

Yaruichi told them that the next day she would be reviewing the twins and teaching them how to use their Zam pak to's, so Uruhara was to teach Ichiru. They were dismissed and sent off to their rooms.

Ichiru walked off to the front deck of the shop. He sat down and looked towards the starry night sky. The had been training longer then he thought, but then again, based on the things that happened to him over the past few weeks he would probably believe anything.

"Hey!" Ryumaru said quietly as she sat beside him.

"Huh? Oh, hey!" Ichiru replied.

"So… How do you like the world of the shinigami so far?"

"It's… something that I've always want to happen to me!"

"You've always wanted to see ghosts?"

"No!" Ichiru laughed, "It's just… I've always wanted to belong. I can't honestly believe that there is a whole society of people like us. I just thought that I was a normal kid."

"But you're not a normal kid!" Ryumaru exclaimed "You're a Shinigami, just like me, Sayuki and Sakura…"

"Hmm… whatever," Ichiru scoffed, "Why'd you come out here anyway?"

"I just come out here to think sometimes, when I have a lot on my mind…"

"Like what?"

"You're so lucky you know!" she said trying to change the subject.

"How do you mean?" Ichiru asked, not really following.

"You have these two great siblings! And they're actually related to you! The closest I have to siblings is Jinta and Ururu!"

"But you have REAL parents!"

"I-I know" she said in a somewhat depressed tone, "But I always get the feeling that I'm not part of their family. I don't look anything like my dad or mom! It's like I'm not part of their family, an outsider…"

A small tear streamed down the young girl's face and hit the ground. Ryumaru turned her head so Ichiru wouldn't see, but he did.

"Wow the world's toughest girl sheds a tear!" he said in a sad attempt to make her laugh.

She looked over to him-the remnants of her tears still visible on her face. Ichiru took the back of his sleeve and dried her tears. The two leaned in closer. Their lips were just about to meet when…

"Oh I just remembered!" Ryumaru exclaimed.

"What is it?" Ichiru asked as he pulled back his head and blushed at the thought of what he was just about to do.

Ryumaru smiled, "On that day… Of the hollow, I heard you whistling a song-a really nice one!"

"Oh that's just a song my mom used to sing to me when I was a baby!" Ichiru began to sing as Ryumaru listened happily.

Silence…

"Hey Ichiru!"

"What is it now?"

"Try your best tomorrow!"

"Thanks Ryumaru!"

"No, thank you Ichiru!"

Ichiru walked back into his room and turned on the lights. There on his bed sat two figures. He recognized them right away.

One of the figures had long black hair with the front part dyed orange-Sakura.

The other had the opposite: Short orange hair with the front dyed black-Sayuki.

"And just where have you been Ichi-nii?" They said.

"Nowhere!" he replied coldly.

"You like Ryu-kun don't you?" Sayuki smiled.

"Yeah she's my friend what's it to you?"

"Not that kind of like…" Sakura sighed.

"Yeah we mean like-like!" Sayuki laughed.

Ichiru paused for a second as a slight hint of red came onto his face.

"Hey! How'd you guys get back into your human bodies?" he asked-trying to change the subject like Ryumaru. Unfortunately it didn't work so well for him.

"Stop trying to change the subject!"

"I," Ichiru started, "I… well,"

Meanwhile something similar was happening on the opposite side of the shop…

Ryumaru quietly tiptoed past her parents' rooms.

"Wait!" Yaruichi called as she and Uruhara walked toward Ryumaru.

Ryumaru sighed (because her mission failed) as she said, "G-good evening!"

She knew where this conversation was going to lead to and she couldn't let it get there.

"Look if you're wondering where I was… I was out on the front deck thinking, okay?"

Yaruichi smiled, "We already knew that!"

"Then… What do you need?" Ryumaru asked.

"We need to know if you were out there to think and Ichiru just happened to be there or…" Uruhara stated

"Dad, you're not saying that I actually…"

Uruhara smiled as Ryumaru blushed.

"I uhh… I'm going to bed! G'night!" she said as she quickly ran to her room.

Uruhara and Yaruichi smiled at each other.

I can't believe it's already happening!" Uruhara exclaimed.

"Yeah," Yaruichi agreed as she walked to her room, "Isshin's going to be so mad at you when he finds out!"

Uruhara sighed, "I know…"

Chapter 6: The Shinigami Spark!

Yaruichi awoke the next day as she walked over to Uruhara's room.

"Hey Uruhara!" she exclaimed, "Today's the day you're going to do it right?"

"Yeah!" he replied.

"Good, that means if they pass the last test…"

"Yeah…"

Jinta and Ururu slammed open the doors to the kids' rooms as they did every morning.

"WAKE UP!!" Jinta yelled as he threw pillows at Ichiru. Ichiru had learned that Jinta acts a lot like a little kid so, even though he was younger than Jinta he treated him according.

"Five more minutes you little brat!" he complained.

"Don't make me call Mr. Kiskue!" Jinta threatened.

"Okay, I'm coming!" Ichiru replied, defeated.

Ururu's job was much easier than Jinta's, because the girls were always awake and ready to train.

After breakfast, Jinta and Ururu would either come watch the training session or tend to the shop, which mostly meant sweeping the front deck or tending to the one customer that comes everyday. Training usually went right through the entire day, including lunch and no one would notice or get hungry for that matter. Finally they would wrap up the lesson and have a light dinner.

Since Yaruichi said that she would be working with the twins that day, the only people in Uruhara's 'basement' were him, Ryumaru, and Ichiru.

"I hope your ready Ichiru!" Uruhara laughed.

"No doubt here! I can take on whatever you throw at me!" He smiled with confidence in his voice.

Ryumaru rolled her eyes at Ichiru's cockiness. "You don't know what you're up against!" she said to herself.

"Glad to here it!" Uruhara said, "Let's begin shall we! Ryumaru would you come stand by me please?"

"Umm… Okay, I guess!" she replied as she walked over to her father, she whispered, "Good Luck, Ichiru!"

"Well?" Ichiru exclaimed, "Are we going to start or what?"

"Patience," his mentor said as he pressed a button. The swords from yesterday re-appeared.

"Whoops, wrong button," Uruhara sighed, "Oh, well! I'll get them after we finish up here!"

He then, flipped a switch as the sky began to rip open.

"There's the right one!" he laughed.

A gust of wind blew as a hollow appeared. It wasn't exactly like the one Ichiru saw the other day, but still had the same shadow-like body and a face as pale as a blank sheet of white paper. And let's not forget the giant hole where the heart was supposed to be.

Ichiru looked at it straight eye, still filled with confidence and determination. His violet eyes shone brightly, disguising the fact that he had no idea what to do. He froze up! He knew inside, that he couldn't take this hollow on, and certainly not like Ryumaru did weeks before.

Ryumaru watched with great concern as the hollow inched closer and closer towards Ichiru. Uruhara on the other hand was completely calm.

Finally, Ryumaru couldn't take it any longer as she exclaimed, "Dad! This is your way of awakening Ichiru's riatsu-getting him slaughtered by a hollow?"

The ever calm Uruhara gave no answer to his frantic daughter.

The hollow was just about to swipe at Ichiru, who looked like he had already given up to death, when, out of impulse, Ryumaru pushed him out of the way and took the blow herself. She went flying off and landed with a loud-THUD! She didn't move…

In that split second that Ryumaru's hands came into contact with Ichiru's body, a surge passed through him as fast as lightening, like what happened to his sisters yesterday. He soul also popped out of his body and there he stood in a full shinigami uniform, although, he had no Zam pak to. He grabbed the first one he saw. He didn't care if it broke at the touch. He thought back to his newly found hero-I.K. and knew that he also had the undying need to protect a girl he barely knew from a hollow. A need to protect her at all costs…

As soon as he touched the sword, a voice rang in his head. At first as quiet as a whisper which got louder and louder until Ichiru himself was yelling it at the top of his lungs. "Shiine Kurosai! Shiine Kurosai!"

He was enraged and furious at the hollow for sending Ryumaru flying off like he did. He tried to calm himself down as he sang in his head, "Nanika shirakoji tsukatewa…" It didn't work…

He jumped up in the air and slammed his sword onto the hollow mercilessly.

"Look what you did!" he yelled, slashing and slashing at the defenceless hollow without holding back, "She isn't moving! I hate you!"

Finally the hollow was gone as Ichiru stood there panting.

He sighed, "Stupid Hollow!"


	4. Chapter 7 and 8

Chapter 7: IchixRuki?! Don't' you mean IchixRyu?

He quickly ran over to the unconscious Ryumaru. He turned her over as a drop of blood dropped from her mouth.

"Ryumaru! Ryumaru!" he called, hoping that she would awaken at the sound of a familiar voice.

Even thought his own daughter was there on the verge of death, Uruhara's calmness never ceased as he watched Ichiru franticly try to revive her. He strolled over to Ichiru and put his arm on the horrified boy's shoulder.

"There's only one sure-fire, foolproof way of getting her back, you know." Uruhara smiled.

"W-what is it?!" Ichiru asked expectantly.

The man whispered something into the boy's ear as Ichiru's face flushed with red.

"Are you sure that that's the only way?" Ichiru asked hesitantly.

Uruhara nodded silently. "I'll be upstairs!" he smiled as he quickly scrambled up the ladder. Ichiru and Ryumaru were left alone.

He sighed, "If it really is the only way," He closed his eyes as he lifted up her head and brought it up to his.

They kissed…

Ichiru sat there holding the unconscious girl in his arms. She still didn't move.

"No!" Ichiru exclaimed, "It didn't work!" Tears streamed down his face as one landed on Ryumaru's cheek. She twitched at the drip and feel of the tear. Ichiru stopped and wiped his tears because he was absolutely sure he saw her move.

"Ryumaru…" he whispered.

She slowly opened her eyes, revealing the beautiful deep red irises Ichiru thought he would never see again.

"I-Ichiru…" she said as she sat up.

"Yeah?" he replied.

"Did you just do what I think you just did to me?!" she asked.

Ichiru blushed, "That depends…" he answered, "what do you think I just did…"

Ryumaru blushed as well, "Oh… Never mind…"

At dinner the two never looked each other in the eye because of the awkwardness.

They were in no hurry to tell anyone how Ichiru's training session went, but, Yaruichi sensed that something was up and Ryumaru wasn't just about to tell her or Uruhara for that matter.

Afterwards, Yaruichi tried to get the answers out of Ichiru while she taught him to return to his human form, which was basically falling back into his body. Unfortunately, the only thing she got out of him was that his Zam pak to's name was 'Kurosai' which wasn't at all interesting to her at that time. She did, however, tell him that in Japanese 'kuro' means black and 'sai' are a type of battle knife used in combat and martial arts.

Uruhara happily told Yaruichi everything that happened within Ichiru's lesson and were both content as they slept because of two reasons.

Their plan to get Ichiru and Ryumaru together worked like a charm, and

The next day, if the kids passed the test, they would be heading off for the soul society to finish what they have been training so long and hard for.

Chapter 8: A Walk through Time

"Good Morning!"

"Ugh!" Ichiru grunted, "Five more minutes Jinta!"

"Uhh… It's Ryumaru!" she laughed.

"Oh! Good morning!" he smiled as he quickly rose from his bed. He glanced at his alarm clock. He expected it to read 9:30AM, the time Jinta usually woke him up. But, instead it read 7:00AM.

"Why did you?" Ichiru started.

"Oh-I was just wondering if you wanted to go out with me, "she paused, "I mean to buy groceries!"

"I'd love to!" Ichiru laughed as he grabbed his clothes from the closet.

"Great!" Ryumaru exclaimed, "I'll meet you in the front!" and with that she ran out of his room.

It was mostly silent as the couple walked along the sidewalks and pathways on that cold early autumn day. Suddenly, Ichiru's heart began to beat faster than usual, because Ryumaru unexpectedly rested her head on his shoulder. Ichiru blushed at first, but, then slowly placed his hand around her waist and they continued walking as if nothing was wrong. In fact, to the 'apparent couple' everything was absolutely perfect.

They walked passed an old hospital, and stopped to look at it. It looked like any other old, closed down hospital would, except for the fact that it had as eerie atmosphere surrounding it, and an ominous feeling emitting from the walls.

"Hey look!" Ryumaru exclaimed as she pointed to a crumpled up piece of sparkly, purple paper that the wind was pushing against the fence. She peeled it off making sure not to rip or tear it. The poster said:

"See the fabled Don Kanonji as he performs his show live-here in Karakura Town! One night only! May the spirits be with you-bo ha ha ha ha ha!"

The two laughed at it, although, they didn't have any idea why. It was as if they had already known Don Kanonji, yet they had never heard of him till now. Ryumaru threw the poster into the garbage as she returned back into Ichiru's arms and continued walking along.

Next, they walked passed by a high school. Students were just starting to enter school by this time.

"Hey Ryumaru!" Ichiru asked as they walked by, "How come you don't go to school?"

"I could ask you the same question!" she replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Well, I was taught everything I needed to know at the orphanage! I am currently at an A+ average and at a university level of Reading, Writing, and Math… In fact probably just about anything!" he exclaimed proudly.

"Amazing! I'm so impressed!" she said sarcastically, "As for me, I'm also at that level-but I was home-schooled by my mom and dad."

"And now you're going to get schooled by me!" he laughed as he grabbed her hat and ran off ahead.

"Ichiru!" she yelled, part-laughing, as she ran after him, "Give it back!"

"Come over here and get it then!" he called.

She was just about to catch up to him when he tripped on his own feet and dropped the hat.

"Are you alright?!" she laughed.

"Yeah, I'm fine!" he replied as he looked around for her hat. He found it on the ground and picked it up.

"Here! You passed!" he laughed as he brushed the dirt off it and handed it to her.

"Thanks…"she said as she spotted the giant rip in her hat.

"Whoops!" Ichiru exclaimed, "My bad…"

"It's okay," Ryumaru laughed, "I needed a new one anyway!"

"Hmm…" he said expecting it, "I feel somewhat responsible for this…"

"Really?!"

"Do you speak a language other than sarcasm?"

"No!"

Ichiru spotted a store from the corner of his eye and quickly rushed in-pulling Ryumaru by the hand.

"C'mon! I'll buy you a new one!" he smiled.

"Umm…Ichiru you should know-"she started.

"Hold on just one sec!" he said cutting her off.

He finally spotted the sales clerk as he tapped him on the shoulder, "excuse me… Sir?"

The man turned around. He looked to be the same age as Uruhara. (Whatever that is!)

"Ichigo, Rukia… What are you doing here?" he said.

"Umm, sorry sir I think you've mistaken us for someone else!" Ichiru pointed out. He reached out his hand, "Hi I'm Ichiru and this is Ryumaru!"

The man shook hands with Ichiru, "Oh I'm truly sorry!" he apologized, "I'm Isshin Kurosaki!"

"Nice to meet you!" Ryumaru bowed.

"So what brings you here?" Mr. Kurosaki asked.

"Oh right!" Ichiru smiled, "We were looking for a hat to replace this one!" he showed him Ryumaru's broken hat.

"I'm sorry boy; you're in the wrong place!" Mr. Kurosaki laughed, "If you haven't noticed, you're in a Pharmacy!"

"That's what I was trying to tell you!" Ryumaru muttered under her breath.

"Oh, Whoops!" Ichiru said, embarrassed.

Ryumaru rolled her eyes as she said, "Forgive my boyfriend! He doesn't have a big enough attention span to read what's right in front of him!" She knew it was a mistake the moment she said it.

"What!" Ichiru exclaimed as he looked over at Ryumaru. Ryumaru gave him a look that said, 'I can't believe I just said that!'

Ichiru shrugged and tried to make everything look normal in front of Mr. Kurosaki, who was staring blankly at them.

So Ichiru put his arm around Ryumaru's waist, she blushed as Ichiru said, "Right! Yeah, Ryumaru's my girlfriend!"

Isshin smiled at how much they acted like Ichigo and Rukia as he said, "Hold on one second…"

He walked to the back room and pulled out a box that was labelled:

'IchixRuki Wedding Gift…'

It wasn't at all opened. He tore the box and happily brought the present out to Ichiru and Ryumaru, who were having a fight over what had just happened. As they saw Isshin come back out the quickly stopped.

The present from the box was a green Camouflage hat with and interesting symbol on the back-a flaming skull.

"Here you are Ms. Ryumaru, a new hat-free of charge." Isshin smiled.

"Thanks!" she exclaimed, "Oh, and its Ms. Kiskue if you want to address me like that!"

"Kiskue huh?" he asked.

"Yes sir!" Ryumaru smiled as she and Ichiru walked out the door, "Thanks again!"

"Anytime!" he called back.

As soon as they left Isshin made a mad-dash to the phone on his desk and dialled the numbers as fast as he could.

"Hello?" the voice on the other end said.

"Uruhara!" Isshin exclaimed angrily into the phone.

"Ah! Isshin, how long has it been?! Do you know what time it is?!"

"Don't play games with me, Old man!"

"Last time I checked, we were the same age, correct?"

"So, has it already begun?"

"Yes it has started!"

"That's impossible! It shouldn't have happened for another hundred years or so!"

"Look, are you angry at me? Or are you angry at the fact that you grandson just happens to be history's repeat of Ichigo and my daughter-Rukia?"

Isshin smiled slyly, "But, she's not your REAL daughter is she?"

Uruhara sighed, "I would like to say yes… but no. Ryumaru isn't my daughter…"

"I knew it! Even if it was just a strand I'd recognize that red hair anywhere, and it certainly didn't come from you or Yaruichi!"

"Yes, yes. I know who her real parents are! It must be really obvious if you got it that fast!"

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, or boosts you ego to a record high, I only knew after I spotted the glove!"

"Glove?"

"Yeah, the glove she wears on her right hand to cover up that thing that her father painted. She probably thinks it's some kind of birthmark."

"Oh that… Well, it was nice talking to you Isshin! We should talk more often… Bye!"

"Wait Uruhara I'm not…"he sighed, "he actually hanged up on me!"

He looked over to his daily sayings calendar, tore off yesterday's, and read today's it read: 'The first rule of the world… History must repeat!'

He smiled as he said to himself, "Is the whole world mocking me?!"

"Ichiru come on! Faster!" Ryumaru called out, "they're going to be wondering where we were!"

"Yeah, yeah I'm coming!" he yelled back to his new 'supposed girlfriend,' "Hey, didn't you say you needed to buy groceries or something?"

Ryumaru blushed as she said, "I really didn't need to…"

Ichiru blushed as well, "Oh-I see… So um… does this mean we're, like, going out or… whatever?"

She smiled widely. The same smile Ichiru saw on the day they first met.

"Maybe… but I know this does!" she said as she threw herself at him as they kissed.

"Well, what do we have here?!" a voice called from behind them.

The couple's eyes shot open as they turned their heads to see Uruhara, Yaruichi, Sayuki, Sakura, Jinta, and Ururu staring back at them.


	5. Chapter 9 and 10

Chapter 9: The End… And a New Beginning!

"So Ryumaru," Yaruichi said happily, "when were you planning on telling me that you had a boyfriend?"

"Uhh… when I found out I had a boyfriend…" she replied.

"We told you Ichi-nii!" Sayuki and Sakura exclaimed.

"Well this wasn't the first time we kissed!" he yelled back. He then realized the mistake he had made in saying that.

Sayuki and Sakura's faces lit up as Ichiru blurted this out.

"The first thing I'm going to do when I see mom and dad is tell them Ichi-nii has a girlfriend!" Sayuki said happily.

Ichiru gave into defeat as he said, "Fine! Go ahead and tell anyone you want-I am in love with Ryumaru Kiskue!"

"Yeah!" Ryumaru added, "That goes for me too!"

The couple smiled at each other.

Ichiru laughed sweetly, "Do I even have to say it?!"

They kissed, but this time no one made fun of them!

Yaruichi and Uruhara smiled at the happy moment, as Jinta silently pretended to throw-up, and then walked inside the shop with Ururu.

"I think they're ready!" Uruhara whispered.

"That means that they're going to the Soul Society…today," Yaruichi replied.

Uruhara nodded silently.

"Alright," Yaruichi called out, "guess what!"

Four pairs of expectant eyes stared back at her expectantly-amber, violet and red.

She smiled, "You're all going to the Soul-Society… right now!"

Sayuki and Sakura screamed with joy as Ryumaru and Ichiru sent each other shocked-but happy looks.

They all climbed down to the 'basement' for the last time. A giant purple door with markings of skulls and skeletons on it was the new addition to the otherwise empty space. Each one of the kids clenched their Zam pak to's ready and waiting.

"Good luck!" Uruhara called, "tell your parents I said: Hi!"

"Bye mom!" Ryumaru smiled as she hugged her.

"You should stop calling me 'mom'…" Yaruichi said hesitantly.

"W-why?"

"Because, Uruhara and I aren't your real parents!"

"What!" Ryumaru exclaimed.

"Yes, that's right… Here, you should have this…" Yaruichi handed her a small, silver I.D. bracelet that had: Ryumaru carved into it. "This was given to you by your real father…" Yaruichi added.

Ryumaru smiled, "Thank you… Ms. Yaruichi, Mr. Uruhara… for everything!"

She walked back over to Ichiru and held his hand firmly.

"Ready?!" he asked.

The girls nodded.

"Siine, Kurosai!"

"Kuroshite! Na Ra Gab Hoshi!"

"Cry Kanashimaru!"

"Scream Ureshimaru!"

And with that the four ran off into the portal…

At first, everything seemed normal as the four kids walked along the dark, almost tunnel-like, pathway.

Suddenly, Ryumaru and Ichiru heard the twins scream. They quickly turned around to see that a giant… something was heading right for them. They ran as fast as they could towards a light in front of them. When they finally got through to the other side, they were all relived and out of breath. But they soon smiled again as they looked at the scenery around them. Everything looked as if they had all traveled back in time to Feudal Japan. There were old wooden shacks, creaky old houses, and… a giant white gate?!

Chapter 10: Clueless

"Rukia!" Ichigo yelled as he slammed a pillow onto her head.

The raven-haired maiden arose from their bed as she glared at her husband. The man smiled and kissed her on the cheek.

"Good Morning!" he laughed.

"Do I have to wake up at 10 in the morning, on a Saturday?!" she exclaimed as she got out of bed.

"Hey, how come back in Karakura Town you woke up at 6AM sharp?" Ichigo smiled.

She walked right up to the orange-haired man, that she apparently fell in love with, and gave him her signature 'I know something that you don't!' smile as she replied, "Oh, I don't know… Maybe it was because I was sleeping in a closet!"

"Hah, very funny!" Ichigo laughed as he threw her lieutenant's uniform in her face. "C'mon! We're late for a meeting with Captain Komamura and Shuhei!"

He turned around as Rukia, who was fully ready to go, kissed him and smiled, "Let's go then!"

"Flashsteps rule!" he exclaimed as they walked out the door of their room together.

Rukia walked over to the room beside theirs and banged on the door.

"Renji, we're leaving now!" she yelled, "We'll see you later!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever!" he called from inside his room, "Bye!"

"Hey Rukia, do you think Renji's ticked off at us for getting married?!" Ichigo wondered out loud as they walked outside.

"Why would he be, he got married too!" Rukia replied.

"Oh, yeah, when he showed up at our house with that Ryumaru Kurohoshi-girl, I was pretty mad at him!" Ichigo smiled.

"Why?"

"Remember, Ryumaru looked like you, acted like you, she basically was your twin!"

"Didn't Renji name their daughter: Ryumaru?"

"Yeah… and Renji was so devastated by the death of his wife, then when little Ryumaru went missing…"

Rukia sighed, "Yeah, I remember now…"

"Hey, it's okay, try not to think about it… The feeling won't go away, but, it will make you feel better…" Ichigo smiled.

Rukia smiled back. She knew that those words were coming straight from his heart, because that was how he felt about his mother, she just knew… and it was right then and there that, despite their constant fighting and teasing, Ichigo and Rukia looked like a genuine couple!

Suddenly, they saw it! They couldn't believe their eyes, but, there mere metres away from them stood a 16 year old version of both Ichigo and Rukia!

"What!" the couple exclaimed in unison.

They saw everything, a young orange-haired boy in shinigami attire, holding a Zam pak to most likely taller than himself. They saw him run ahead of a young black haired girl, also in shinigami attire, the same Ichigo would do to Rukia back in what Ichigo would call: 'The Good Days!'

"Ichigo, isn't that us?!" Rukia exclaimed.

"They're acting exactly like us when we were that age, how can that be?!" Ichigo replied in disbelief.

Rukia began to walk towards the girl who was 'supposedly' her.

"What are you doing?" Ichigo wanted to know.

"I know myself pretty well!" she replied, "And if that girl is like me, then she will trip in 3, 2…"she smiled, "Excuse me, Ichigo…"

"Hi there!" Rukia said happily to Ryumaru, "Are you alright?!"

Ryumaru smiled as well as she said, "Oh yeah, I'm fine! Thanks!"

"My pleasure," Rukia replied, "Hi, I'm Rukia Kurosaki!"

Ryumaru mentally replayed the word 'Kurosaki' in hew head. Then, it came to her…

"Hey, Ms., did you know that there's this dude who lives in my hometown… He owns a pharmacy, and has the same last name as you!" Ryumaru exclaimed.

"Oh, really?" Rukia asked as she sent a quick look towards her clueless Ichigo, who unfortunately for him couldn't read lips.

Ryumaru nodded. For some reason she connected with Rukia, as if she knew her before, even though that was the first time they met.

"By the way…" she said as she reached out her hand, "My name is Ryumaru Ki… uhh, just Ryumaru!"

Rukia shook her hand, "Nice to meet you Ryumaru!"

Just then, Ichiru came running over to help his girlfriend up.

"Hey Ryumaru," he said, "Let's go! I saw something that might help us on the back of your hat!"

Ryumaru stood up as she smiled at her boyfriend and said, "Okay let's go! I'll see you around Ms. Kurosaki!"

"Bye…" Rukia waved as she walked back to Ichigo.

Ryumaru walked off with Ichiru.

"Who was that?" Ichiru asked.

"She said her name was… Wait, what's on the back of my hat?!" Ryumaru said as she pulled it out of her backpack and immediately saw a little note attached to it with tape that said:

Dear Ms. Ryumaru,

When you go off to the Soul Society with Ichiru, and the twins, you should ask around for a place called: 'The Kuchiki Residence' I'm sure it will help you I finding your real parents.

From,

Mr. Kurosaki…

"Well," Ryumaru remarked, dumbfounded, "I guess we should go get Sayuki and Sakura and start looking for this 'Kuchiki Residence' now!"

"Let's go!" Ichiru replied.

Meanwhile, walking in the other direction…

"Rukia, I don't get it!" Ichigo exclaimed.

Rukia sighed, "You really are clueless, aren't you, Ichigo?!"

"What do you mean?!"

"How many years has it been since we were last in the world of the living?"

"About twelve years…"

"12+4=?"

"… Sixteen… Wait, you mean that kid is…"

Rukia smiled widely, "Ichiru Kurosaki-our son!"

"Then if Ichiru's here then the twins are too!"

"You catch on faster then I thought…"

"Then, who was that girl who looked like you?"

Rukia gave out another big sigh as she said, "Renji's going to be so happy…"

Ichigo's eyes widened, "That was little Ryumaru?!"

"Yeah," Rukia smiled sweetly as if remembering something really nice, "What I'd like to know is, why they were acting like us when we were that age?"

Now it was Ichigo's turn to smile, "Remember what my dad used to tell us? The only thing in life that is guaranteed is that…"

Rukia finally caught on, "Is that history must repeat itself!"

"So let me get this straight," Rukia clarified, "Ichiru is you, Ryumaru is me, and the twins are most likely Yuzu and Karin-Right?"

"Apparently…" Ichigo replied, "So will we be able to go home and meet them there?"

"No, we have a meeting-remember?"

"You are such a Kuchiki…"

"I am not! I'm a Kurosaki now…"

Ichigo looked deeply into his wife's bright violet eyes and knew that something was troubling her.

"C'mon," he smiled, "What's the real reason? Why don't you don't want to rush home and hug your children for the first time in twelve years?!"

"It's because…" Rukia replied, "I want Ryumaru and Renji to have their moment…"

Ichigo laughed sweetly, like Ichiru did, "You keep saying things I don't understand!"

"Ichigo, Renji has been looking for Ryumaru since we left for the world of the living! We should let them find each other without us interfering! And also, if Ryumaru really is history's repeat of me… then she should get the chance to know that at least one of her parents is still living and live her life with a parental-figure that she doesn't have to call nii-san!"

Ichigo smiled, "Oh, now I get it… Okay then, let's go!"


	6. Chapter 11 and 12

Chapter 11: Family Resemblance

The doorbell rang…

"Man!" Renji exclaimed, "I hate being home alone…"

He got out of bed as he turned to a picture him and his wife Ryumaru Kurohoshi.

"If you were still here…You could've gotten the door instead of me…" he smiled.

He ran down the stairs and swung the door open. Four confused looking children stood there staring at him expectantly.

"Can I help you kids?" he asked with distaste.

Ryumaru quickly noticed the tribal markings on Renji's forehead and hands. She pulled her glove off to compare.

"Ryumaru…" Renji muttered as he spotted the I.D. bracelet.

She looked at him in disbelief, "How do you know my name?!"

"It is you!" Renji exclaimed as he hugged her.

"W-what?!" she asked as Renji let go.

"Sorry," he remarked, "My name is Renji Abarai! And your name, if I'm not mistaken, is Ryumaru Abarai!"

"Dad!" the young girl exclaimed.

Renji laughed as he gestured all of them to come into the house.

Ryumaru kept repeating her name over and over again, "Ryumaru Abarai… Ryumaru Abarai!"

"So Ryumaru, "Renji started as they all sat down in the living room, "who are your friends here?"

"Oh, right! This is Sayuki and Sakura and…" she stopped as something clicked in her mind.

"Uhh… is it alright for me to have a boyfriend?" she asked as Ichiru blushed.

"How old are you?"

"Sixteen…"

"And how old is he?"

"Sixteen-we're the same age!"

"Yeah, I guess its okay!"

"Awesome!" she exclaimed, "Hey Ichiru, did you hear that, my dad rules!"

"Ichiru…" Renji echoed.

"Yes, sir…" Ichiru replied.

"Do you happen to know what your last name is?" Renji asked.

Even though Ichiru thought the question was definitely out of the ordinary, he casually replied, "No, Sayuki, Sakura, and I are all orphans…"

"Well, you should know…" Renji started, but, he was cut off by the front door opening.

"We're home!" Ichigo called out.

"Ichigo, Rukia, you'd better come in here…" Renji yelled back.

"What is it?" Rukia asked as she and Ichigo came in and sat down.

Ryumaru gasped, "Hi Ms. Kurosaki!"

"Hi Ryumaru," Rukia smiled, "and by the way it's Mrs. Kurosaki"

Renji rolled his eyes as Rukia continued, "See, this is my husband-Ichigo Kurosaki!"

Sayuki studied the appearance of Ichigo and then looked over to her Ichi-nii. Sakura also noticed as the two concluded out loud, "Hey, Ichi-nii! Mr. Kurosaki looks exactly like you!"

Rukia smiled softly as Ichigo said, "There's a really good reason for that…" All four kids stared expectantly at Ichigo.

Rukia spoke up, "Welcome home…"

Those small words rang in the three orphans' heads. Ichiru finally got it as he looked up at the couple and quietly muttered the words that he wished he could've said ever since he was four years old…

"Mom… Dad…"

Sayuki and Sakura, with tears in their eyes, ran up to hug their newly found parents. The couple hugged their kids warmly as Rukia looked over to Ichiru, who was sitting there and smiling.

"What," Rukia asked, "Are you too old for hugs?!"

"No…" he replied, "it's just… I can't believe we're finally where I've been dreaming of going for 12 years of my life! And it's happening exactly how I imagined it!"

"We've certainly come a long way from this!" Ryumaru added as she jabbed Ichiru in his gut, like the first day they met all over again.

"Yeah," Ichiru said weakly, "We've definitely come a long way from that…"

Everyone in the room laughed…

Ichiru suddenly noticed something, "Hold up a second…" he started, "Dad your full name would be Ichigo Kurosaki-right?"

"Yeah…"

"That means that your initials are I.K. right?! And mom, yours are R.K. with your maiden name: Kuchiki-correct?!"

Ryumaru gasped, "I get it! Do you know anyone with the initials…?" She thought back to Uruhara's and Yaruichi's lectures on the history of the Soul Society and the characters' initials, "S.Y., O.I., U.I., T.A., B.K., G.S., G.I., H.T., R.M., K.Z., and R.A.?" Ryumaru asked.

Rukia put her memory to good use as she repeated each name in order. "Let's see, there's Sado Yastura, Orihime Inoe, Uryu Ishida, Tatsuki Arisawa, Byakuya Kuchiki, (my brother…) Ganju Shiba, Hitsuguya Toshiro, Rangiku Matsumoto, and… well, you should know that last one!" Rukia smiled.

"R.A. was my favourite character in the Soul Society stories! He was so awesome!" Ryumaru exclaimed.

Renji smiled smugly, "Thank you!"

Ryumaru thought for a second, "Oh, R.A. Renji Abarai, and Ryumaru Abarai!"

"Wow!" Sayuki, "So dad, you were the one to rescue mom from our uncle Byakuya!"

"And, you actually threw her from the very top of the giant tower into Renji's arms!" Sakura added, part-laughing.

"How do you kids from the world of the living know of Shinigami lore? Even if you were all born here, you were too young to learn all of these stories…"

"Well, when he was training us, Mr. Kiskue said that the names of the characters weren't at all important when learning the stories, so he just gave us the initials!" Ichiru explained.

The three adults looked completely shocked as they all exclaimed in unison, "MR. KISKUE!"

Chapter 12: Memories…

"Yeah," Ryumaru answered, "Mr. Kiskue… I mean Uruhara, was the person who adopted, well actually sort of, found me…"

Rukia and Ichigo clenched their Zam pak to's in anger.

"Damn that Uruhara!" Ichigo gritted his teeth, "I'm going to destroy him!"

"Wait…" Ichiru thought out loud, "If you weren't fond of Mr. Uruhara, then why did you send us to him?"

"We didn't!" Rukia sighed, "We were sending you to another place in Karakura Town!"

"Yeah," Ichigo added, "We just asked 'Sir Hat and Clogs' to go drop off the letter at the orphanage! Most likely, out of some twisted reason of his, he switched the picture of where you were supposed to go, with a picture of his shop!"

Ryumaru smiled softly, "But… That's a good thing, isn't it?"

"Oh no," Renji complained as he grabbed on to his daughter's shoulders, "Uruhara has already poisoned Ryumaru's mind!"

"No…" she laughed, "It's just that… If Mr. Uruhara never switched the pictures, well, I wouldn't be here!"

"That's true, I guess Uruhara's reason wasn't so twisted after all!" …" Rukia agreed as she smiled at Ichigo, who was totally in denial of believing that Uruhara would ever do something thoughtful and take pity on another living thing.

"And," Ryumaru continued, "If it wasn't for Mr. Uruhara helping us, Ichiru and the twins would've never awakened their riatsu at all!"

Ichigo thought for a moment, and then he smiled at Ryumaru, "I can see that you're trying to protect Uruhara because he was like a father to you but… Uruhara or no Uruhara, all of your riatsu would've been awakened at some point in your life anyway!"

All of the children's eyes were once again staring expectantly at Ichigo.

"You see…" he started, "Since Renji, Rukia, Ryumaru's mother, and I are already shinigami and have had our spiritual pressure at least by birth, if not, then when we were very little; you kids are all categorized as Shinketsu's which are people that have at least one parent that is a shinigami. It would be your birthright to become soul reapers like us, even without Uruhara's help!"

He looked at them and they all silently agreed that they understood exactly what Ichigo had just said.

"Hey!" Renji exclaimed, as if he was remembering something suddenly, "Has that little brat: Jinta ever called one of you a freeloader?!"

The three girls gave him a quizzical look as they all shook their heads and replied, "NO!"

"How about you Ichiru?" Renji asked.

Ichiru thought back to the first day he arrived at Uruhara's shop…

Flashback:

"_Here's your room!" Jinta said as he pointed to Ichiru's quarters, "You're not a freeloader are you?"_

"_What?" Ichiru asked._

"_Oh never mind!" Jinta replied._

"Yeah he did once…" Ichiru realized.

Rukia smiled, also remembering her bad times with Uruhara, "How about Mod-souls? Did they give you any trouble?"

Ryumaru also thought back to Ichiru's first day…

Flashback:

"_DAD!" Ryumaru exclaimed, "I found Kon in my closet again!"_

"I hate Kon…" Ryumaru complained as she pouted and crossed her arms.

"Welcome to what used to be my world!" Rukia laughed, "Can you imagine, one time his soul was let loose in Ichigo's body!" Rukia sighed, "Back in the good old days, eh Ichigo?"

Ryumaru smiled, she was really connecting with Rukia. In fact, Rukia was Ryumaru's new role model, as of about three minutes ago…

"Oh, what about the 'Headband of Ultimate Power' or… going Bankai in three days; or… uhh, releasing your inner-hollow?! I bet Uruhara and Yaruichi had you guys enduring all of that!" Ichigo stated as he tried to recall every horrible thing his so-called 'trainers' made him do.

The four kids shook their heads.

"Sorry dad…" Sayuki said.

"Yeah, we have like no idea what you're talking about!" Sakura laughed.

Ichigo sighed, "Damn that Uruhara! Has he even heard of the word: 'fairness?!'"

Everyone in the room laughed at the annoyed expression on Ichigo's angry face.

Chapter 13: History Repeats! No Exceptions!

"So dad…" Ichiru started, "This is just to clear things up… You were the one whose riatsu was awakened by mom. Then mom was condemned to death for doing that, and was brought to the Soul Society to be executed by Mr. Abarai and our uncle Mr. Kuchiki…"

"Correct!" Rukia smiled happily as she discovered how smart her son was.

Then… it was right then and there, that Ichigo saw it. He stared right into his son's bright violet, Rukia-like eyes as Ichiru spoke words that Ichigo, himself, had once said, the day he had returned to the World of the Living for the first time.

"So…" Ichiru said, "Just tell me one thing… Did Uruhara keep the truth from me… because he thought that I would quit if I knew?!"

Ichigo was the only person who was shocked by the question, mainly because Rukia and Renji weren't present when Ichigo had said this to Mr. Uruhara, although, if Sado, Uryu, or Orihime were here; they would probably be shocked as well.

Ichigo's shocked expression soon changed to a soft smile as he replied, "Exactly…"

Meanwhile, back in Karakura Town…

"ACHOO!" Uruhara sneezed suddenly.

"Bless you!" Yaruichi replied part-laughing, "Are you alright?!"

"Yeah," Uruhara chuckled as he looked towards the sky, "Someone's probably just talking about me…"

"Hey dad…" Ryumaru asked Renji.

"Yeah," Renji replied as he tried to adjust to being called 'dad.'

"I just noticed… Me and Ichiru's history up until now, kind of matches Mr. Ichigo and Mrs. Rukia's history. Like how they met and the series of events afterwards…"

"Yeah," Ichiru added, "And dad, you have twin sisters like me right?! In fact… if you look at it from one perspective, it's like Ryumaru and I are equivalent to you and mom…"

"Why is that?!" Ryumaru wondered as Sayuki and Sakura showed that they agreed by nodding their heads.

Rukia smiled, "Ryumaru, Ichiru, Sayuki, and Sakura… Let me tell you something that all of you should remember for the rest of your life! The only thing in all of your lives that will be guaranteed…" She looked at Ichigo, indicating him to continue the sentence she had begun.

He nodded as he said, "The first rule of the entire world…"

Renji caught on as well as he added, "Is that history is meant to, and must repeat itself…"

"And always remember…" the three adults continued together in unison as the kids listened to them attentively.

"No exceptions!"


End file.
